West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday tendered an apology to Argentine footballer Lionel Messi and his fans, following the bedlam that broke out at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata during the first leg of GOAT India Tour 2025.
Mamata Banerjee expressed shock at what happened and stated that it is a ‘case of mismanagement’ as she has formed a probe committee to look into the matter.
Chaos at Salt Lake Stadium During Messi’s Visit
This incident happened at Yubha Bharati Krirangan (also known as the Salt Lake Stadium), where a swarm of fans had assembled themselves to take a glimpse of Lionel Messi, who had visited India after a gap of nine years, when he last visited India in 2011.
Fans are Angrily Reacting to a Fade-Out, Accusations
Accusations of poor organizing were made against the event organizers as Messi is said to have been there for only 10 minutes before he left. Fans who paid as much as ₹12,000 to attend the event said that they never got a chance to see Messi.
“Only leaders and actors were mingling with Messi. So, why did they call us?” said a disappointed fan. Fans also claimed that a promised appearance by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and ex-captain of India cricket Sourav Ganguly, who is also a regular visitor to Morocco, failed to arrive.
This led to a spate of complaints on social media, with several people blaming the event organizers for the incidence, claiming that the political leaders hijacked the event. The West Bengal Sports Minister, Arup Biswas, has also been on the receiving end of criticisms on social media, though no official comment has been released concerning the accusations.
I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake Stadium. I was on my way to the stadium to attend the event along with thousands of sports lovers and fans who had gathered to catch a glimpse of their favourite footballer, Lionel Messi.
I…
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 13, 2025
Mamata Banerjee Claims She Was ‘Deeply Disturbed and Shocked’
Reacting to the unrest, Mamata Banerjee said she is “deeply disturbed and shocked” over what happened at the stadium. Mamata said that she was on her way to the event when the unrest broke out.
“I sincerely apologize to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers, for the unfortunate incident,” Banerjee wrote on X.
“Thousands of sports lovers had gathered to have a glimpse of their favourite footballer,” he said.
Probe Committee Constituted to Identify Responsibility
The Chief Minister has formed a probe committee to conduct a thorough inquiry into the incident, fix responsibility, and recommend steps to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.
The committee will be chaired by retired Justice Ashim Kumar Ray, with the Chief Secretary and Additional Chief Secretary, Home & Hill Affairs Department, as members.
Kolkata marked the inaugural destination for Lionel Messi’s four-city GOAT India Tour, which is a huge buzz among his fans back in India. The followers had endured the cold December weather and broken open their pockets to buy tickets to possibly get a close look at the Football Legend.
Despite that, the incident ended in a disappointing outcome, which marred what seemed to be a historical sporting occasion.
“Again, my heartfelt apology to all sports lovers, as I repeat our commitment to accountability,” said Mamata Banerjee.
Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
